Apparatus for raising sunken vessels



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J. & G. TAYLOR. APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

No. 517,630. Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

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J. & 0. TAYLOR. a APPARATUS FOR'RAISI-NG SUNKEN VBSSELS.

No. 517,630; Patented Apr. 3. 1894.

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APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION fdrming'part of Letters Patent No. 517,630, dated .April3, 1894.

. Application filed April 8, 1393. fierial No. 469,548. (No model.) 7

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN TAYLOR and CALL TAYLOR, citizens of the UnitedStates, reslding at Detroit, county of 'Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wrecking Devices; andwe declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to wrecking appliances, and has for its obj e'ctimprovements in that class of wrecking appliances in which sunken ordisabled vessels areraised or lifted by means of pontons or tanksadapted to be entirely closed in and sunk or submerged in the water, andthen to have the water expelled from them and the space occupied byit-filled with air, thereby rendering the tank much lighter than thebody of water occupying the same space, and, consequently enabling it tofloat not only itself, but also a vessel to which it has been properlyattached.

lhis invention relates to the construction of such pontons, to the meansfor attaching them to vessels, and the means for filling the pontonswith air after they have been sub merged and properly attaohedjtoasunkenvessel. 4

- In the drawings, Figure 1, represents a section of one ofour pontons.Fig. 2, shows a brace for securing proper contact between the vessel anda ponton. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail of the brace shown in Fig. 2.Fig. 4, shows a pair of pontons attached to a submerged vessel.

. The ponton is preferably made of metal, and is rounded in crosssection and provided with convex ends to give it the greatest possiblestrength against the inward pressure of the external water.

A,-indi'cates the ponton,which is strengthened at intervals by braces B,which'form diaphragms or bulkheads'a'cross the lower portion of thecylinder, rising toabout onethird or one-fourth the distance from thebottom to the top through the bulkheads B,

are openings, which permit the water to flow freely.

In each ponton are two air valves, C, C,

on the upper side. The valves are inserted from the interiorof theponton and the valve stems 0, rest in a cup d, which forms part of thecasing of the valve, and are entirely inside of the outer surface of theponton. Such concealed valves are not liable to be broken. 3 On theunder side of the ponton are two similar valves, D, D, the lower valves,while similar in construction, are greater in capacity than the uppervalves, the use of the upper valves being simply to permit the escape ofair while the ponton is filling with water preparatory to beingsubmerged. The lower valves are employed, one for the admission of air,and the other for the escape of water after the pontons have beensubmerged,and when they are resting on or near the bottomvof thewater. 7I

In the lower side of. the ponton is a manhole E, over which is secured acover, (2, held in the ordinary way by a spider f.

Each ponton is strengthened by hoops or bands G, which surround theponton and are bolted to it; on the lower half the hoop G,

is further strengthened by additional straps g, bolted to the mainhoops; and to the hoops and straps G and g, are secured lugs h,traversed by a pin H. The pin passes through an eye, is, at the end of acable K, and holds the cable to the ponton.

The pontons are used in pairs, and are coupled together in pairs bycables K, which are first drawn under the vessel to be raised,

and then secured to thelugs h, as described. Each pontonis provided withlifting cables L, secured to it in any appropriate way,

by means of which the ponton may be raised from the bottom or towedalong the surface of the water;- although it is not intended to usethese cables for the purpose of lifting the vpontons and the vessel, butsimply for the purpose of lifting the ponton detached from the wreck.

M, indicates a block and tackle, and, m, indicates a line running to thesurface from the block.

N, indicates an eye bolt driven into the sides of the vessel by a diver,and to the eye bolt N, is secured one of the sheaves of the block M. Theother'sheave is secured properly to the ponton A. These blocks andtackle are used forthe purpose of handling I mew the ponton underneaththe water and drawing it in close to the wreck to be raised.

The pontons are tubular and of equal di ameter throughout and, whenbrought into use in connection with a wreck, will usually touch a wreckonly at a single point. In order that we may have at least two bearingpoints between the ponton and wreck, we employ a strut or brace, 0, madeadjustable both as to length and as to the angle which may be assumed bythe bearing ends P and Q. The bearing end P, isa flat block adapted tobe placed against the vessel and bolted to it by. lag screws.

Q, indicates a saddle made to fit the contour of the ponton A. Betweenthe plate P, and the saddle Q, are two links H, B, one of which ishinged to the plate P, and the other of which is hinged to the saddle Q.These links are joined to each other by bolts, r, r. The length of thecombined brace may be readily adjusted, and the angle with which thesaddle Q, is placed with respect to the plate P, may be adjusted.

Air is forced into the pontons A, from the under side as indicated inFig. 4, the reason for this being that very much less pressure isrequired to force airinto a sunken ponton from the bottom than from thetop. Pressure sufficient to drive the air to the bottom of the hose willenable us to fill the ponton with air from the bottom; while it wouldrequire pressure sufficient, not only to pump the air to the bottom ofthe hose, but to errpel the water from the ponton, 1f the air wereadmitted at the top of the ponton. All the loose parts, like the pin H,the cover 8, to the man-hole, the nuts and bolts, r, r are tied by smallchains to the parts w th which they are connected, thus preserving themfrom getting lost when underwater.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a wreckingdevice, the comblnat on of submergible pontons, means for handl ng thesame under water, and means for forc ng air into said pontons, andbraces having bearing ends P Q, connecting, links R R.' and an adjustingbolt, substantially as described.

2. In a wrecking device, means of securing submergible pontons in place,comprising a cable secured to its under side and passed under the wreck,and an adjustable strut, one end of which is secured to the wreck, theother end of which bears against the ponton, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN TAYLOR. CALL TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

MARION A. REEVE, EFFIE I. CROFT.

